Swimming device.



Patented Mar. 1, 1910.

INVENTOR.

WITNESSES.

way/W ATTORNEY.

EMANUEL EASTMAN, OF MIDDLETOWN, CONNECTICUT.

SWING DEVICE. v

'To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I EMANUEL EASTMAN, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of Middletown, Middlesex county, Connecticut, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Swimming Devices, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to swimmers aid devices and has articular,reference to an attachment for t e swimmers hand or hands which isconstructed to as nearly as possible perform the function of the webbingin a water fowls foot.

With this object in view my invention consists in the novelconstruction, combination and arrangement hereinafter described indetail, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and incorporated in theappended claim.

In the drawing-Figure 1 is a plan view of a hand-Web, fin or flexibleaddle embodBying my invention. Fig. 2 1s a section of ig. 1. Fig. 3 isan edge view seen from the large end. Fig. 4 is a reduced end or edgeview with a hand in position in fin er depressions, and Fig. 5 is areduced p an view of the device attached to a swimmers hand.

Referring in detail to the several-views, 2 represents a flexible platemade of any suit? abe metal or other material cut into a proximately orsubstantially ovate form, this road end providin for a s read of fingerends as shown in ig. 5. his plate 2 is made heaviest in its middleportion and tapered in cross section toward its edges as shown in Fig.2.

In Fig. 4 are shown depressions 3, 4, 5 and 6 for the fingers of thehand shown in Fig. 5, said fingers corresponding in their swimmingfunctions to the toes of a ducks foot, while the plate 8 in this form ofconstruction corresponds to the web of a ducks foot. The plates 2 and8'are held against the hand of the swimmer by a flexible bandSpecification of Letters Patent. Application filed March 5, 1909. SerialNo. 481,307.

Patented Mar. 1, 1910.

9 over'the back of the plate, said band hav ing its ends inserted inslots 10 and 11 and fastened to the inside of the plate by means ofrivets or other suitable means 12 and 13. The plates 2 and 8 are madeslightly concave as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, the concave side beinpresented to the direction of the swimmers stroke, and correspondingsubstantially to the natural curvature of the palm and fingers of ahuman hand. This gives the device an effective hold upon the water andthe flexibility of the device contemplates a fair degree of variation inthe form or concavity under the natural tendency of the fingers tocontract during each forward swimming stroke, and scoop the water. Thecomparatively rigid central portion of the plate is designed to lendample support for the more flexible outer portions and the thin edgesmade so to enable them to readily cut through the water at each returnstroke. This plate 2 or 8, or hand-web, as it may be termed will be of a.size to enable the user to carry several of them conveniently on hisarson and instantly on hand in case 0 an emergency nlifiking the moreelaborate devices unavaila e.

Aluminum, on account of its lightness and flexibilit would be a materialwell suited for the construction of this invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- A hand-web consisting of a plate of flexible metalhaving a configuration of approximately ovate form and provided withfinger depressions 3, 4, 5, and 6 and strap 9.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

EMANUEL EASTMAN. Witnesses:

CHARLES NnLsoN, Gem. E. Anmeon.

